Wando set the tone early with tries tfromo Caleb Calandra, Ben Wakser, and Cole Frank in a high-tempo match. Powerful No.8 Ahmad Alquza closed out the first half with a surging run that put him over the line.

The 2018 Mid-South Independent Rugby League season ended with an epic cup final between South Greenville and the Charlotte Tigers, a game South Greenville won in double overtime, so it seemed appropriate to open the season with these two teams going at it.

The Phoenix Varsity squad followed up on their impressive December win against Jacksonville Wolverines with a solid 36-0 win over MSIRL champions South Greenville at North Park on Saturday to remain unbeaten.

The MSIRL is a regional league that completed its inaugural season in 2017 featuring nine of the best high school boys teams Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina had to offer. This added regional level of matrix play was a huge success by all accounts – It’s no wonder then that the league has grown in 2018.

Charlotte Catholic defeated rivals Union County 28-10 Friday night to move to 6-0 i the Mid-South Independent Rugby League, and and 8-0 in North Carolina's Open league.

Catholic is in excellent shape now to win the MSIRL, and after dropping Union County to 7-1 in North Carolina (as well as 7-1 in the MSIRL), they are in good shape to be 1st in the regular season, too.